SCIIIPetition2
The Second Petition
Thy kingdom come.
Your kingdom come.
What does this mean?
The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.
How does God’s kingdom come?
God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.
The Central Thought
Every kingdom or nation on earth is continually plagued with problems.
If God has ushered in His kingdom through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, why do we still see so many problems in the world today?
Read
255. What is the kingdom of God for which Jesus teaches us to pray?
It is the gracious rule and reign of God that
A. was promised in the Old Testament;
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256. What does it mean that the kingdom of God comes without our prayer?
God’s gracious rule and reign does not depend on our prayers or efforts, yet Jesus teaches us to seek God’s kingdom and pray for it.
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257. What do we ask and seek from our Father in this petition?
We ask that the kingdom of God would come among us, and so we pray that
A. God would give us His Spirit so that we may believe His Word and live “under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness”;
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Prayer: Father in heaven, give us Your Holy Spirit so that we believe Your Holy Word and live as members of Your gracious kingdom here in time and finally, by Your mercy, be brought to live as partakers of Your everlasting reign; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
